View-finder.



J. A. ROBERTSON.

VIEW FINDER.

APPLICATION FILED MARS, `1912.

} 060,'709 Patented May 6, 1913.

u ITE VsTaTEs PATET orare.

JOHN A. ROBERTSON, OF ROCHESTER, NEW YORK, ASSIG-NOR TO EASTMAN KODAKCOMPANY, F ROCHESTER, NEW YORK, A CORPORATION OF- NEW YORK.

VIEW-FINDER.

To all whom t may concern.'

Be 1t known that I, JOHN A. ROBERTSON,

.of Rochester, in the county of Monroe and numerals marked thereon.

My present. invention relates to photography and more particularly to`hoto graphic camerasand it has for its object to provide the camerawith an improved View inder which will be inconspicuous, and will be sodisposed as to be well protected in both its operative and inoperativepositions.

. A further'object of the invention is to provide a; view finder ofimprovedconstruction adapting it for reversal to correspond with changesin the position of the camera for the purpose of exposing the plate inboth horizontal and vertical positions.

To these and other ends the invent-ion consists in certain improvementsand combinations otl parts, all as will be hereinafterr more `fullydescribed, the noyet features being 4pointed out in `the claims at theend of the specification.

In the drawings: Figure 1 is a side elevation of a camera provided witha View finder, constructed in accordance withl and illustrating oneembodiment ot my invention.; Fig; 2 is a section taken substantially onthe line-Q42 oflFig. 1; Fig. 3 is a side elevation, partly in section,of the finder and its support; Fig'. t is a rear elevation, of thetinder; Fig. 5 is a section taken substantiallyon 4the vline 5-5 of Fig.4, and

Fig. t3 is a. section taken substantially on the line of Fig. 2.

Similar reference numerals throughoutthe several ligures indicate thesame parts.

The camera illustrated in the present embodimentof the invention isot'the folding' type and comprises a. body portion l, a

front 2- having an eirtensibie support 3 andan intermediate bellows 4.lhe lbody is pro videdwvith a bellows chamber 5,1 opening; forwardlv at6, which opening is closed I l l when the camera is tolded by the 'trent2. l'n the practice ot-my invention, the view finder, vindicatedgenerally by T in Figs. l'

and 2, is mounted at one Ycorner ot the front Specification of LettersPatent.

Q s0 that the ,casing or body portion thereof lies entirely in rear ofthe front, and thus t'oldsto alposition Within the bellows chamber 5, asshown in Fig. 2', when the. camera 1s folded, in which position thefinder lens alone is visible while the casing is well protected. As tothe specific constructionbf `the finder itself, it comprises, inthepresent mstance, the casing 8 on the front wall of Wardly projectinglens tube 9 in which the objective 10'is secured in the usual or anypreferred manner, as by the threaded sleeve 11. The front plate 2 isprovidedwith a bearing" or opening 3 through which the tube 9 projectsand in which it is' tree to rotate and it is held therein by adetachable replaceable securing element that bears against the front. ofthe support 'and that comprises, in t-he present embodiment, a ring nut12 threaded on the tube. Interthe plate 2 and the finder casing 8 is aSpying washer 13 which exerts a yielding tension between the moving andfixed parts having a tendency to retain the finder in any position ofadjustment to which it is rotated and to prevent lost motion. Seated isythe refiecting lens l5 on which the image -is viewed and to which theimage is re- `lected from the objectivel() by a mirror 16 arrangedangularly to'both lenses in the usual manner. The lens 15 is held to itsseat, in the present instaure, by a vframe 17, while the mirror 16 ismounted on the inclined rear wall 18 of the casing. This wall isprovided with apertures'axul a member 19 extending;- across the outsidethereof has its clenched over the edges of the mirror 16 to hold thelatter in place.

The normal position of the camera in use is shown in Fig. l, in whichligure the finder fis in an upright. position also so that when it isdesired to turn the camera on its side t0 apply the image of the cameralens in a'difthe finder be turned 9() degrees so that it will be uprightin this position of the camera. also, and this can be done with thepresent finder because oi the rotatable nature of its connection withthe front plate 2, as previously described.

x proper position ot the Finder in either in- Patented-May 6, 1913.Application filed March s, 1912. serial No. 682,391.

which is formed a preferably integral, forposed between the opposite' orrear side of endsl 2() passed through the apertures and ferent way onthe plate, it. is necessary that on a shoulder 14 at the top ot thecasing 8.

ln order to 4define the having two Shoulders 22, 90 degrees apartthatalternately engage with a project-ing Aabutment 23 on the plate Thisabutment Q3 simply acts ae a stop to prevent the finder from beingrotated too tar in either case, while the'spring washer 13 prevents itfrom moving back or away from the posit-ion that the stop delinea, asbefore noted.

It will be observed with the eonetruetion described, the axis oitmovement of the finder during its change otl position is coincident withthe optical axis of its objective 10, and hence, in an optical Sense theobjective does not move and is at all timebl at the same distance tromthe (renter ot the camera lens which is a readily recognized advantage.The finder is also so positioned on the front plate il that it Cannotbe. turned to a poSition in which any party of it projects laterallybeyond the edge ot' the front plate and,

therefore, the camera can be folded with the inder in any position.Heretofore it has been usualljv necessary to fold the tinder back to aninitial position bet'ore closing the eamera, and with such anarrangement it' the operator teuf-gets to so return it the result isliltely to be that then'nder is crushed againSt a portion o' the bodyand damaged or breiten otl'.

l claim as mv invention:

l. 'lhe combination with a folding photograjihie camera comprising abodtY having a forwardly opening bellowa` chamber, a front. adapted toclose the chamber, n 2ans for Supporting the troni' in projectedposition and a bellows connecting the Atront and body, of

a view finde' arranged on the rear 'face ot' the front; so as`to bewithin the bellows 'chamber when the. camera is folded.

The etmibination with a foltling photog'raphie camera oomprieing a bodyhaving a forwardly opening' bellouufs chamber, a trent adapted to clonethe chamber, meant; lor supporting the front. in projected pogition anda bellows eonnta'ting the front' and body, et a view tinder rotatablymounted on the rear face ot the 't'ront so a5 to be within the bellowachamber when the camera ie' folded, the axis ot movementof the tinderbeing so located as to prevent the latter trom projecting beyond theedges ot the t'ront in any position ot the finder.

3. ln a view finder, the combination with a supporting plate having anopening therein, of a finder easing, a lens tube connected thtaewith andarranged to project through the opening and to rotate therein relativelyto the plate and a detachable and replaceable securing memberindependent oi the finder easing and cooperating with the tube on theoppeSite side of the plate.

4t. In a view finder, the combination wit-h a supporting plate having anopening therein, of a inder casing, a lens tube connected therewith andarranged to project through the openingl and to rotate thereinrelatively to the plate, and a ring threaded on the tube on the oppositeside of the plate to secure the tube in the latter.

5. In a view finder. the combination with a supporting plate having anopening therein, of a finder casing`A a lens tube Connected therewithand arranged to project through the opening and to rotate thereinrelatively to the plate, means conneeted to the tube and engaging theplate on the opposite side trom the tinder casing to hold the tubetherein and yielding means acting between such movable. and tixed parte`itor maintaining the finder in a position ot adjustment.

t3. In ay view tinder. the combination with a Supporting plate having anopening therein, ot a tinder easing. a lensv tube Connected therewithand arranged to project' through theI opening and tio rotate thereinrelatively to the plate` 1n ams connected to the tube and engaging theplate on the opposite leide from said easing to hold the tube thereinand a spring washer interposed between the finder easing and plate tormaintaining the finder in a. position ot adj ustment.

7. 4ln a tinder, the eombiuation with a easing having the usualobjective and retieeting lenses and provided with a wall arrangedangularly to the axes ot bot-h lenses, said wall being provided withapertures, ot' a mirror mounted on said angular wall and meansl t'orsecuring the mirror in plaeeeeinprising a member disposed arrose theouter side ot: the wall and having its ende passed through the aperturestherein and clenched on the edge.-y o't the mirror.

JOHN A. ltOlIClt'FSON.

fitnessea H. lt). S'ronnnuaunu,

'Huisnr ".V. HALL.

